The Philippine National Police (PNP) assured the public on Sunday, Dec. 12, that the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), which was declared as almost entirely constitutional by the Supreme Court, will not be subjected to abuse.

PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos particularly emphasized that the ATA will not be used as an instrument for a crackdown against those who are voicing out " simple expression of advocacy or dissent or other similar exercises of civil and political rights."

Instead, he said the ATA will be used in curbing insurgency, terrorism and other forms of lawlessness in the country.

“Over-all, we still see the law as favourable to the best interest of law and order,” said Carlos.

The PNP intelligence and investigative elements are part of the support agencies of the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC). These functions played by the ATC also take an extensive approach in addressing terrorism. These focus programs include:

• Preventing and countering violent extremism program. This program aims to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism such as ethnic, national and religious discrimination, socio-economic disgruntlement, political exclusion, dehumanization of victims of terrorism, lack of good governance and prolonged unresolved conflicts by winning the hearts and minds of the people to prevent them from engaging in violent extremism.

• Preventing and combating terrorism program . This program shall focus on denying terrorist groups access to the means to carry out attacks on their targets on formulating appropriate responses to the desired impact through decisive engagements.